Starfox: Friends and Enemies
by BlueTiburon
Summary: Join Rick as his path crosses that of the Starfox team on his search to find the truth to his past. Will his past be filled with happiness or sadness and hate? Finding out his past may prove to be deadly as a web of secrets and treachery are uncovered all surrounding his past. Will be updated bi-weekly.
1. Chapter 1

The locker rooms of the fight arena were cold and dark. Not a single soul around, only a small light lit the entire room.

"Where will I go after this?" asked Rick as he thought to himself, waiting for the call to the ring. Rick was a loner who suffered amnesia. He was a prisoner in his own mind.

He didn't know where he came from or who he was, other than his name. He fought in arenas to earn money to continue his travels across the galaxy.

Rick was a formidable fighter, he knew some day he would find the truth; it was just a matter of time.

He believed to be close to 26 years old, not like knowing how old he was mattered to him.

The only attire he had was light gray pants, a dark gray shirt and a jacket that was gray with white metal padding around shoulders and a blue stripe on his left side from his neck to the leg.

He had black boots, and a gun, that he never used. That's all he had of his past.

He had been roaming the galaxy for months now. His blue eyes were always full of sadness. Not knowing if he would die before finding the truth.

As he continued to wonder, a door opened in the locker room. An orange fox, a blue vixen, a blue falcon, and a small green frog passed by without glancing at him, not even knowing he was there.

"Ignored as always" he thought. As they went through the door towards the ring, Rick stood up and walked towards the end of the walls lined with old rusted and broken lockers.

He looked away from the light and felt as if he was being watched. He turned towards the door and there he saw her. The small blue vixen that had just passed returned his gaze. He could see her face now, short blue hair that shimmered.

She looked at him and smiled. Rick felt strange and uncomfortable; he looked at her face and saw her blue eyes. Rick froze in his spot, he tried to greet her, but couldn't.

"Krystal! Come on the match is about to begin!" someone called. She looked towards the source of the voice and nodded. When she looked back at the place where Rick once stood, he was gone.

"Am I seeing things?" she said to herself in a low, confused voice. Rick heard her, and felt bad about not saying anything. The blue vixen he knew now as Krystal then left.

Rick was leaning up against the cold metal lockers in the darkness. He sighed then brushed his silver fur with his hands then readied himself for the fight.

A few moments later, a bulldog dressed in a fancy maroon suit that had the essence of thick cigar smoke entered, "Alright kid your next, go out there and try not to bleed all over the place" then left.

Rick took off his undershirt and threw it on his pile of items within a locker. He ran his hands along his fur and stretched. His short silver fur seemed to gleam in the poorly lit room. "Once again, here we go" he said and headed out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Rick headed towards the small six-sided fenced ring. As he walked through the ring entrance, many people cheered and others booed.

"And the next victim, I mean challenger, hailing from unknown parts, Rick!" yelled the introducer. "He will fight RJ, our undefeated champion! For the grand prize of 30,000 Talians!"

Rick walked up the small stairs towards the ring. The crowd inside the arena suddenly yelled "Kill him! Kill him!" over and over. Rick continued to be calm and undeterred.

The ring was surrounded by barbed wire to seal in the fighters. Bright lights surrounded the ring; many of the spectators waved their arms yelling profanities in their own alien language.

Rick walked towards the far corner of the ring. Just another day he thought. The crowd suddenly became wild as RJ walked towards the ring. RJ was a massive black bear with bulging muscles all over his furred body.

Oh crap Rick though, overwhelmed by the size of his opponent. Rick looked around at the stands and saw many of the spectators start shacking hands, claws and tentacles. He knew too well what that meant. They were betting on the match.

The pungent smell of sweat came over him as RJ entered the ring. The automatic lock then clicked close, and the announcer began the match.

"Alright, the both of you! Ready, take places!" There was a long silence.

"Set, fight!" yelled the ref through the mic outside the ring. The bear laughed at Rick's small stature. "This will be too easy!" he said then laughed deeply.

Rick walked towards him and then extended his hand, RJ laughing at him.

The bear extended his paw and shook Rick's hand. He then tightened his grip and threw Rick towards the fence like a lifeless rag doll; Rick bounced off the fence and landed on his feet.

The crowd went wild as he gave a cold empty stare at the massive bear.

"Oh, what are you going to do about it? Small fry!" the bear said. The bear looked towards the crowd; Rick then threw a roundhouse to the bears face as he took his off of him. The kick landed square on the bears jaw with a loud thud. The bear then slowly turned his head to face Rick, a snarl replacing the twisted smile it once had.

"You're going to pay for that!" yelled the bear angrily. He then lunged at Rick, trying to tackle him. But Rick being small and agile easily moved out of the way and tripped RJ with his foot, which cause the bear to hit the fence with his face.

The bear started to bleed from his nose profusely. He wiped it and ran at Rick once more yelling from the top of his lungs in anger. Rick moved out of the way and in one fluid motion, kicked the bear in the side of the head once more.

Kicking him caused the bear even more anger. RJ then suddenly lunged at him and grabbed Rick by the neck and held him inches off the ground as he punched him in the stomach then threw him at one of the steel beams that held the fencing around the ring. When Rick's shoulder hit, it popped out of its place.

Immense pain flow through him, he yelled holding his arm. He then gritted his teeth and pulled his arm, it was followed by a loud pop. The crowd gasped at what he had just done.

He yelled as his shoulder entered its rightful place. He then ran towards the bear and dodged his massive claws and punched him in the stomach and then jumped to knee his face.

The bear walked back in pain then without warning swung blindly and caught Rick in the face. Blood ran Rick's cheek as he walked back in pain, a gash slowly bled.

He wiped it off and continued his assault on the bear. He then did a floor swipe and knocked over the unbalanced bear. Rick then walked back and around the bear, then kicked his skull dazing him.

Rick then ran to the fence and began to climb it. At the top he jumped off and landed in the bear's back with his elbow. RJ yelled in pain as he felt the full force of the impact sink in.

Rick then walked back slowly and began to recover wiping his face clean of blood that matted down his now crimson fur. The bear then struggled to get up. Before Rick gave the last hit, he looked behind the bear and through the fence saw _her_.

Again he froze looking at her eyes. She looked worried as she stared at him. The orange fox sat next to her. He looked at her and put his arm around her.

She then began yelling something but he couldn't hear over the noise of the crowd. She then closed her eyes, Rick just stared at her.

"Look out!" yelled a voice in his head. "What in the hell..." he said as he turned around only to meet the bear's paw head on. The crowd cheered on the return of their champion.

The hit send him flying to the ground. He could now taste metal in his mouth. He spat at the floor red. Angered quickly replaced his curiosity and entered a rage. He was furious that he was foolish enough to get distracted.

A short metal pipe then out of the crowd flew to Rick's feet as the crowd chanted his name in excitement.

Rick took the pipe without hesitating and swung at the dazed and confused bear's head. The metal ping from the pipe echoed throughout the arena, silencing everyone as they stared in awe at the brutality of it.

Rick then took a few steps back, and then charged at the bear with a strong blow to his knees, a loud crack was heard. RJ fell to his side, his body seeming lifeless.

The crowed was dead silent. Someone broke the silence by whistling, it was followed by clapping and cheers. Rick just spat at the down bear. He threw the now bent pipe to the floor and headed out the unlocked fence gate.

Rick looked around at where the blue vixen once sat and didn't see her, only the orange fox. She's gone.. Rick then exited the ring and headed towards the locker rooms in complete darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Rick continued his walk through the darkness as he finally reached the locker that contained all of his worldly possessions. "Damn kid! You were supposed to knock him out, not kill him!" said the bulldog who was smoking a cigar in the far-off corner of the room.

"Let me guess, you aren't going to pay me because I killed him, am I right?" said Rick, his back towards the old dog as he put his muscle shirt back on.

"No kid! I want you to work for me!" he then said excitedly. Rick continued to look at him without a response.

"Yeah you heard me, I want you to be our new fighter here." he said taking in a breath of his cigar, lighting a small red dot in the darkness.

"A job?" Rick thought. "Come on kid, what you say? You could make a lot of money. I can make you rich!" he said. Rick thought for some time, his back towards the old bulldog.

"No thanks, I have some unfinished business elsewhere" he said in a bland voice. "Now son, listen. I don't take no for an answer" he said threateningly. Rick turned around; anger started slowly boiling inside him.

"I'm not the kind of guy you just go giving orders to." answered Rick in a stern voice. "What are you going to do about it?" said the dog.

Rick needed the money so he calmed down and said "Give me the money and I'll leave".

"Good luck with that" he said turning around. "Give me my money" he said once more. "Fight for me"

"No" responded Rick. "Suit yourself" he answered back. "Boys! We need to teach this punk who gives the orders around here" said the dog waving his hand towards the darkened corner of the room.

Out of the shadows, two towering odd colored dogs came in. So strangely they looked that they didn't resemble any species Rick had ever seen.

Thick muscles around their necks, large arms, small sharp yellow eyes, tattoos running down their arms. The two the dogs walked side by side like a solid brick wall of muscle until they reached Rick.

"Two on one? This hardly seems fair, you two are at a disadvantage" said Rick as he chuckled reaching for his holster without drawing their attention to his hand.

"Ready?" he said to the two dogs. "Let's get him!" yelled the dogs.

Rick threw his jacket to the gray dog and quickly pulled out his gun and fired. The gray dog just fell to the floor with a thud that echoed in the darkness of the concrete room.

Rick quickly then shot out the light and the dark consumed the room.

The other dog threw heavy punches in the dark and missed.

Rick then heard an opening and hit him in the side of the ribs with an elbow and the butt of the gun to the head.

The old bulldog then pulled a long black revolver from his coat as the auxiliary red lights came on.

He then pointed the revolver at Rick as the other dog stood up.

"You try to disrespect me? In my own house?" yelled the bulldog, revolver in hand.

"You idiot, grab him!" he ordered.  
"If you move, I'll blow your head off and paint the wall with your brains"

Rick then sighed and holstered his gun, then raised both his arms above his head. The large dog then took him in a crushing bear hug that lasted for minutes as the bulldog enjoyed Rick fill with pain.

Suddenly out of nowhere, a bright flash appeared in the darkness of the room, blinding everyone.

The brown dog let go of Rick and started to rub his eyes. Rick took in a breath full of air, as he rolled away from his attacker. "Now is that anyway to pick a fight?" said a voice.

In the dark corner of the room stood two green eyes that sparkled brightly in the darkness of the room. Out of the shadows came the blue vixen he had seen minutes prior to his match.

She held the pin to a flash grenade. "Now we're even" she said walking towards the fight. Rick simply looked at expressionless.

Krystal looked at him with a smile while Rick in the other hand simply gave a cold stare at her. "Go away, you don't belong here. You'll only get yourself hurt" said Rick coldly.

"But...is that the thanks I get for helping you?" she replied offended. "Boss what do we do?" asked the dog.

"Kill them both. Do as you please. This is your pay, 30,000 Talians. Enjoy it." he answered, pulling out the money and throwing it at the dog.

"Go away! You'll only get hurt!" yelled Rick at Krystal. Krystal then gave him a hard slap. "Don't yell at me for helping you!" she answered angrily. Rick just looked at her, his face burning from the slap.

Rick just looked at the dog and didn't say anything. He then was grabbed by a second dog that walked in with all the confusion undetected.

They were ambushed by several other dog-like thugs that walked in as backup. A tall gray dog ran towards Krystal, taking her by surprise.

Rick looked towards Krystal, who was being grabbed by the neck a foot off the ground. She punched and kicked the dog trying to make him let loose the grip on her. But it was useless and all her attempts were in vain.

Rick grabbed his gun from the holster. He fired it directly behind him, killing the dog that once held him. He spat blood at the floor and aimed his gun at the dog holding Krystal.

"Let her go now." same plain voice he always used. The dog sighed and then stopped the grip on Krystal's neck. She dropped to the floor holding her throat.

"Now back away slowly" ordered Rick. The dog put both hands in the air and backed away. Rick looked to the other remaining dogs, but something was amiss.

He then cursed at himself. In a split second a locker door opened knocking the gun from his hands.

Rick was then body slammed against the locker. When he recovered his balance, an object hit the side of his head, rendering him unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

Rick awoke in the locker room chained to the wall with a heavy metal chain. He attempted to look around, but his vision was blurred and continued to fail him.

Slowly he regained his vision and saw several dogs in front of him, holding Krystal in their large arms; she was unconscious with ropes tying her hands together.

"Ah, look who's finally awake!" said a brown dog. The dog then swung at Rick, hitting him in the chest.

"Let..her..go!" he struggled to say. "I don't think so I think we'll have some fun with her first!" he said laughing. He then began to fondle Krystal's chest as the other dog held her limp body.

"Let her go! You...son of a bitch!" yelled Rick. "Watch out guys, it's the angry boyfriend", said another dog as he proceeded to punched Rick in the face, making his trickling gash bleed once more. "You bitch! When I...get out of..here! You're going to pay!" yelled Rick in fury.

The brown dog then tore at Krystal's grey shirt. The anger Rick felt then reached its boiling point. Something finally snapped inside of him.

He yelled as he gritted his teeth, his eyes turning more slanted with anger. His teeth shone white and his arms started to appear larger. "What's he doing?!" asked the brown dog.

"I don't know and I don't want to find out!" said the gray bear pointing his gun at Rick.

He then shot at him but the shots ricocheted of his body, one killing one of the various dogs. The chains that held Rick into the wall then pulled from the wall with a large concrete slab attached to both ends, releasing a crazed animal.

Ricks eyes were like cat eyes in appearance but larger and darker. His muscles were larger, his face with pure anger. The gray dog stared in amazement.

"You first" he said through his gritted teeth, pointing at the gray dog. The crazed beast then began to swing the concrete slabs at his defenseless victims. Each hit killing one after the other. Rick then reached for a large pipe that hung from the weakened wall and yanked it with all his might. He turned to face one of the dogs who ran to the door and threw the pipe like a javelin, piercing his heart and sticking him into the concrete wall in front of him.

The brown dog then threw Krystal at Rick. He caught her and laid her down gently on the floor. The dog then ran at him with a rock that lay on the floor and smashed it with all his strength on the silver wolf's head.

Rick just stood up and picked up the dog like a small defenseless puppy and threw him at the already weakened wall and plowed right through it like a wrecking ball. At that moment, in came the bulldog. "What the hell is going on in here?!"

He saw Rick and the dead dogs. He tried to turn and run when the door closed on him. He stared in horror as Rick started to approach him, dragging the two slabs of concrete along the rubble covered floor. "Please don't kill me!" cried the bulldog as he pounded on the door trying to get out, yelling for help. Rick then neared the cowering bulldog and gave a blood curling howl. The room then began to quake and crumble.

Rick had unknowingly knocked over the support beams to the structure and beneath in the basement, the boiler reached it maximum pressure from having an exhaust pipe pinched shut.

The creature then ran back towards Krystal and shielded her from the falling debris and explosion of the boiler. Most people evacuated the arena due to the alarms sensing the fire and smoke inside of the arena. This alarm contacted the Militaria, the law enforcement of the city.

As the arena exploded, a small silver figure emerged from the rubble, holding something in its arms. Rick then felt weak and fell to the ground; landing on a piece of concrete rebar, piercing his arm. Rick had somehow returned to his old smaller body.

He yelled in pain as he pulled his arm off the rebar. He had to get Krystal way from the rubble and fires around the site. Thunder and rain filled the sky as it slowly began fall heavily and rapidly.

Rick then lifted her on to his shoulder and walked as fast as he could into an alley to avoid detection. As he walked away, ambulances and police flooded the streets in search for casualties and injured bystanders.

He then noticed that he was being followed by the same orange fox that he had seen earlier along with the rest of his presumed friends. They ran at him with weapons drawn. "Put her down!" yelled the fox.

Rick was still blocks away from them so he put her down gently and sprinted into the darkness away from the group, holding his bleeding arm as he ran through the cold rain down many dark alleys and backstreets; losing sight of his pursuers. He was wet, cold, and every part of him in pain.

He was tired and weary, but managed to throw himself inside a cardboard box that provided some protection from the cold rain. He then took the time to look back at what just had happened.

He took his shirt off and ripped it in long strips. He then tied it around his bleeding arm. He gritted his teeth as he tightened the shirt around the wound. He could hear in that far distance the cries of ambulances and police as they searched for the one responsible for the destruction of the arena.

He breathed hard and every breath a painful one. He then closed his eyes. He saw the blue vixen in his mind. After what he had been through that night, he was thankful to be resting, alive.

He then fell asleep for the worst night of his life. He slept in pain, without a shirt in the cold raining nigh. Alone as always, cold as well; it was something he had grown accustomed to.


	5. Chapter 5

Help

Sunlight drenched the city like warm rain signaling the commence of a new day. The city was alive. Cold pain held on to Rick's ravaged body. He groaned as he stood, and with trouble, walked into the street from the alley where he took refuge.

He approached the crowd of people staring at the giant lit screened that filled the sides of buildings in the city square in an attempt to dissolve himself within the crowd, but alas it was to fail. His lack of clothing and cleanliness pointed him from the crowd.

Rubbing the back of his head he examined his arm. It was swollen and bleeding slowly. His entire left side from his body was covered with wet and blood dyed fur.

The fur on his body looked crimson with silver blotches on it. He felt like he didn't have anything to go for, or hide from so he walked like another person feeling the only warmth from the sunlight that filtered through the clouds high above.

As he walked in his wondering path, many looked at him in disgust, others with sorrow. He didn't care. As he walked within the multitude, he noticed they kept their distance from him. Something then caught his eye, a wanted ad in one of the screens above the city square.

His face was on a wanted ad. "That's just wonderful" he mumbled. A small collie pup come up to him and greeted him with such innocence. Never had someone shared such kindness with him during the time of his travels.

He looked at the pup and ask "Hello? Where's your mommy? You shouldn't run off without her you know."

"Hey mister, are you okay?" asked the pup.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Do you know where your mom is?" he replied squatting down to the child's eye level.

"Can I tell you a secret?" he asked Rick.

"Sure"

The pup leaned into Rick's ear and spoke, "You'll find who you are soon. Many are not who they seem. Your friends are soon to help you. Even when you are lost. Now run!"

Rick looked up surprised at the secret the pup had shared with him, without a trace the small pup had disappeared. He looked around, near him but didn't find a sign of him, as if he had vanished in to thin air.

"What was that about?" he wondered.

As he stood up from his squatting position, saw three cruisers from Militaria Defense pull out of a sharp corner heading right for him.

He casually started to walk the way he came. Instinctively he began to run into the crowds as an officer yelled at him to stop.

More blue and white cruisers then stopped in front of him, and out stepped 3 armed police units. They all had a silver uniform on that looked like a jump suit with blue and yellow reflective patches and a dark helmet with a shield along five bronze stars below it.

"Oh crud"

He broke into a sprint, his arm burning in pain. Rick ran into a small strip mall within the city center, dozens of armed officers on his tail. He ran into a clothing store and people started screaming and yelling in fear.

Regretting the choice, he backed out of the store instead. As he ran down a flight of stairs, the units started to fire tranquilizers at him. The tranquilizers where small red tailed feather darts that whistled as they flew through the air.

Each little feathered dart missing him by inches. Rick followed his path down a flight of stairs as a dart found his mark. The needle released it chemical and then he knew he had seconds to lose his tail or it would all be over. Turning a blind corner, he tackled by a unit in civilian clothing.

The hit knocked the wind out of him as he struggled to breath. His arm throbbed in sharp pain as he moaned from the unexpected end to his escape. The officer then flipped over Rick and applied his strap handcuffs.

At that moment, the drug in his system had taken affect as his body as the feeling of his arm and legs disappeared along with the pain. His eyes drooped and then shut. As he fell, it all went dark once more.

NOTE: Hey everyone that's still reading this story, I know some chapters are very short. I have many of them written so don't worry! Painstakingly I am rewriting them. This story is actually finished! The only hard part is editing all the errors and grammatical problems. If anyone is interested in helping out, shoot me a message. If you help out, I might even throw in a cameo of your own choosing into my story and join the world of Rick. Thanks again!


	6. Chapter 6

Freedom

Rick awoke inside a small white cell, which he presumed to be a jail cell. He looked around the small white room with only a stainless steel toilet near a metal sink and a small window the guards saw through.

He was dressed in white. A black and white undershirt with a white jacket that had belts instead of zippers is what he now donned instead of his old torn clothes. Black jeans that were pitch black and a hook button.

He then pondered how he got there and recalled the events through the city's square. His arm had been bandaged with a gauze wrap that was tightly held by a pressure pin.

He looked at himself on the mirror near the door, and saw the gash on his face had been sewn closed and was held together as well by a butterfly pin. Pain still clung to his flesh like a sting, not like before. Still yet, it was bearable.

The room was brightly lit by two bar lights that buzzed high from the ceiling. The small bed where he laid had been recently installed as he could see various etchings of numbers and symbols.

"Lucky me" he thought. A knock sounded followed by the swooshing of the opening door. In stepped a police officer in his black ironed uniform. An exchange of quick glances sparked a curiosity in the officer.

"It's about time you woke up" he said in a pleased voice.

"What do you want?" replied Rick.

The officer then took off his riot helmet to reveal a black German Sheppard.

"You don't remember me!?" he said surprised. "I've never met you" answered Rick. Still Rick had something gnawing at the back of his mind. Yet he still wondered who the officer was.

"You don't remember your best friend?" he said smiling. "Even after all these years? I don't understand! Where have you been!?" he said laughing.

"I thought you were dead. At least that's what the official reports said" continued the Shepard.

"Official reports?" wondered Rick. His mind drifted off as he relieved a very short memory of his childhood with the now grown Shepard.

"Trent? Is that you man?!"

Rick stood up and practically pounced on to Trent who caught him with open arms as they embraced.

"15 years man!" he said. "Sorry I've been places.." replied Rick. "Yeah I noticed. Several people were killed yesterday and all evidence points to you, but I don't believe you could have done it. But tell me. What did happen?" he asked.

"I don't remember what happened. It was all a blur. I remember a woman. And.. its all gone. Like a dark void in my mind. Honestly I don't remember"

That moment was burned into his mind,

but questioned himself on how the sudden turn of events occurred. It was all a blur, like he was missing time.

"That doesn't matter now Rick. You are in major trouble, unless someone can testify your innocence. Is there anything you can remember that happened that night? Anything helps your case"

"Well, I'm screwed. There's no one that can." Rick then cut off when he remembered the vixen that helped him. "Unless...no there's no way I can find her" thought Rick.

"Lt Riles, please escort inmate Rick Daygger from his holding cell" ordered the radio on Trent's shoulder. "Daygger?" asked Rick. "Yeah that's your last name bud. What? You forgot that also?" joked Trent punching Rick playfully on the shoulder.

Rick then covered up the question. "No, it's just that is sounds strange to me". "Whatever man, let's go. Still, there is quite a bit of information that doesn't quite add up" he said to Rick.

"Why's that?" asked Rick as they exited the cell.

"On your service record it says you were killed in action, with a medal of honor. Yet here you are. Alive and breathing as real as our morning sun" Trent then ran his hand through his hair.

"It's strange. I don't know what to tell ya" offered Rick in his defense.

"Daygger, that's my last name?" he pondered to himself following Trent's new information on Rick's past.

"The hells wrong with you?" asked Trent. "Nothing" responded Rick. "Nothing in particular"

Trent led Rick through the jail via several corridors and elevators, the whole time he had cuffs on. He then walked into the office where he was separated by a thick glass from a young feline that sat behind a desk and was handed a blue paper.

"What's this" asked Rick holding up the paper to Trent. "It's your release papers" answered the clerk. "I'm being released?" asked Rick confused.

"A young woman came here and paid the fines and vouched for you, you're free. She cleared up all the confusion." said the clerk once more smiling.

"Guess it's your lucky day Rick" said Trent. "She waiting for you in the front" she said pointing out to the glass doors. Rick simply nodded at her. "She told me to tell you to meet her in the front" she responded getting back to work.

"Well Rick, it's been good to see you again my friend. Come back and visit sometime" said Trent leaving on a call he had received.

"I'll look into that deceased report and let ya know what's up with that" Trent reached into his jacket and pulled out a small card and tossed it to Rick. "Keep in touch bud!"

"Don't get yourself killed!" yelled Rick at Trent as he headed to the exit down the many halls of the jail complex.

"Before you go"

She then pulled out a small brown cardboard box. "Here, it's your gun. You have a concealed weapons carry license on file from your time in the service. Your status says KIA. We will have that looked into for ya" she happily said.

Rick took the gun and dropped the magazine, empty.

"We don't return ammunition"

Rick simply nodded, "thanks".

He then headed out the glass doors that showed the Militaria Defense emblem.

Rick was greeted by warm sun and chirping birds. He saw many people on their daily commutes and activities, the city seemed alive once again.

He looked around for the vixen, but was nowhere to be seen. He walked into the street but didn't see anything.

He decided to leave after minutes of looking. He walked down the crowded streets where he had walked the day before when he arrived in the planet; not afraid of what might come his way.

Rick walked down the market streets and smelled all of the many varieties of foods and other goods to eat. But he didn't have any money or any other way of paying for the food.

His stomach growled, all he could do was just stare at the people eat. He saw an empty bench near a trash can. He walked over to the bench and sat under the large shadow the tree cast over him.

The growling stomach struck once more. He hadn't eaten in three days. The first day he got to Martheus he used the last of his money paying the shuttle ride from Qritarious.

The second day he found a fight club. Third day, he was out of jail, hungry. The other people walked by without even giving him a single glance at.

"They have no idea what I've been through" thought Rick as he looked at people walk by.

"They don't know pain or the fact that they don't value their life" Rick thought, resting his head on his hands.

"You can talk to me if you'd like" answered a voice in his head. Rick then looked up from the ground, yet he couldn't see who responded to him.

"Turn around" said the voice.

"Whatever" he said to the voice. He looked up and continued to stare at the passing cars. He then felt someone tap on his shoulder. He stood up and looked back to see the young vixen Krystal standing behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

More Than a Stranger

"Hullo" she said.

Rick just stared at her blankly. "Are you ok?" she asked tilting her head to the side. "I'm fine, thank you" Rick finally managed to say. .

"I knew I'd find you here." Krystal replied smiling. "You got me released?" Rick asked. "Yup, who else?" she answered happily.

"Why? How did you do that?" he asked." I know people, and besides, everyone here looks up to a member of team Starfox." she said walking around the bench.

She then sat down. "Sit" she motioned to Rick who asked "who's Starfox?"

"First things first, what's your name?"

"Rick, Rick Daygger" he answered.

"My name's Krystal" she said, extending her hand towards him. He shook her hand and shared a moment in which both shared a smile.

She then gathered herself enough to answer him. "The answer to your question; we are a team of mercenaries. We respond to objectives of high importance from Cornerian High Command. We are the last line of defense in any situation" she said.

"And you're in it?" he asked with disbelief.

"The one and only female, if that's what you mean" she said with a bit humor.

He looked at her uniform, a pair of shorts that were gray denim, with a short tan shirt and a dark gray cut jacket with white trim that was the same color as her white fur and the Corneria emblem that was a star with several rings around it, followed by a blue flame as the background.

She also wore some boots that showed part of her calves, the edges where yellow in color. She had a small device on her left wrist that resembled a yellow screen communicator; she had on a gold necklace choker.

"So you hungry?" she asked after a few minutes of silence. "Yeah, but I'm sorry to say I'm broke" he said giving a nervous laugh.

"No problem" she said smiling at him. "Follow me" she said extending her hand to Rick. He took her hand and followed her.

He was lost in thoughts of how this was changing his plans to keep moving. But he played along for the moment.

They both walked to a food stand and ordered. They sat in a small picnic table near the stand and waited.

"Why did you help me?" Rick finally asked her. His facial expression had changed from that of a warm personality to that of a cold soldier. "Why did I help you?" she asked him with the same look.

"Look, it's just that when people help me, they usually want something in return from me. What do you want?" he asked her bluntly.

She was taken aback from his sudden tone of voice. But she couldn't expect high class from him, not certainly after the previous night's events.

"There's something about you. You're different"

"Different as in how" Rick asked.

"When I saw you, you're eyes told me everything I needed to know" Krystal replied, looking away. "I could sense you were very distraught and needed a friend. I'd like to be your friend" she continued as she walked to the man who waived at her. Krystal walked towards the man and she received the food that Rick ordered.

"Here you go, enjoy" she said putting the food on the table.

Rick was hungry so he gladly took the food and began to eat. "A friend of mine is going to be here soon" she said pushing some if the buttons on her wrist device.

"Why?" asked her Rick nervously. He coughed a few times then looked at Krystal. "You mean one of the guys who were running with guns drawn at me yesterday?" he continued.

"Don't worry. I explained everything, they know you saved me from the explosion" she said. "I also would like to thank you for getting me out of the hands of those creeps. I can still feel his hands" she said looking at him as she shuttered.

"How did you know that? You were knocked out during that time..." asked Rick confused.

"I'm a telepath. I could feel and hear everything around me even thought I was unconscious" she said. "So that voice...it was you?" he said remembering the night of his fight.

"Yes I tried to help you but I wasn't any help" she said sadly.

"That's true, you weren't a great help. If it wasn't for you, I would've been fine during the match" he said.

Rick knew had been rude, but he then tried to switch the conversation. Nikki understood it was true, she shouldn't have had tried to enter his mind.

"I'm sorry for hitting you yesterday" she then said looking down. "I guess I have to be thankful for one thing though. If it wasn't for your help, I would have most likely been killed" he replied.

"Wait, so you can read minds right?" He asked.

"To a certain extent, yes"

"Can you try something for me?"

"Sure" replied Krystal.

"I'm gonna tell you something. Don't think I'm crazy or anything of that nature. You'll see. I'll show you" said Rick, as he brought his hands to his face and sighed.

"I'm lost. Here. Everything here. I'm trying to find the path to a life I once lived. If you looked into my mind. Do you think you can see my past life?"

"I don't know. I can try. Can you remember anything from your past? Childhood? Anything?" Answered Krystal switching sides to sit next to Rick.

"Sadly no."

"Okay, let me try something" Krystal said taking hold of Rick's hand. Krystal closed her eyes and focused around Rick's mind. She visualized his thoughts in her mind. She opened her eyes to see she was in a dark empty void of a room.

Like a dark aura covered the room corner to corner. In the middle of the room was a small white glowing orb.

What is this? She wondered.

She walked towards the orb and touched it. As she touched the orb, it expanded and out from within it came small projections of memories Rick had experienced up to that moment in time.

All she could see were from his current age. Nothing from when he was young. Krystal walked around from the images that played continuously and noticed several memories seemed "blocked". They were fuzzy and blacked out. She touched the image and without notice static filled her head. Pain filled her chest, not pain of an injury, but of an emotional turmoil.

Through the static she could make a voice. Rick's voice echoed inside her head, a yell of pain and sorrow filled the empty void of the room. More incoherent words came to and faded each passing second.

Krystal couldn't take it any longer and stopped. She opened her eyes and was facing Rick. His eyes were different. She could not imagine Rick going through that pain and how he could be so different from what she had seen.

His pain, his memories. What happened to him? She asked herself as she attempted to cover up her findings from Rick.

"So, what did you see?" He asked patiently.

"Nothing at the moment. Seems you've had quite a ride haven't you?"

Rick looked away slightly disappointed. "Yeah. I sure have. And it's not over. I don't see it ending any time soon either" he replied looking at her once more.

After he was done eating, Krystal stood up and waved at someone Rick couldn't see. Moments later, an orange fox dressed in a black and gray uniform with the same Corneria Emblem on a grey and white trimmed vest greeted them.

He then turned to Rick. "So you must be Rick. Am I right?" he said with a questioning look.

"Yes, who may I ask are you?" asked Rick. "I am Fox, leader of the Starfox Team"

**Hey guys! I need some reviews from all of ya. I know you guys are reading it. So tell me. Do you like it? Hate it? Tell me! **


	8. Chapter 8

Continuation

Rick stood up and shook hands with Fox. "Sorry bout last night bud, we're a close team; I got worried when I saw you take off with Krystal. I was expecting the worst of things" he said.

Rick then sat back down. "You know, if it wasn't for you, I don't think I would be here" said Krystal.

"So what happened after your fight exactly Rick?" asked Niko.

"Well after the fight, I had some problems with the owner and things when sour, and a fight broke out".

"Did you see how the explosion happened?" he asked intently. "I honestly don't know" said Rick.

Krystal took of her small wrist device and laid it on the table. She then rubbed her wrist.

Fox asked about Rick's previous Militarian history that he'd found about after Krystal helped get Rick released. "I tried to look into your file during your time in the Military" explained Fox. "but for some reason, it says you had a heart of valor and KIA".

"I dunno what to say Fox; I'm right in front of you. I can't explain why they thought I'd died." Figured Rick after thinking about it, it made no sense. "I don't even know what my last assignment was to be entirely honest".

"That's very strange" answered Fox. "Yes, quite strange" chimed in Krystal. "if you'd like, I can look into that and let a contact of mine in the Cornerian Military get me some info" said Fox.

"I'd like that, if its not to much to ask" replied Rick taking a sip of his drink.

Fox along with Krystal turned a quick greet and meet with their new fellow friend into almost an hour long talk. Within that time, Fox and Rick began to develop a foundation for a future friendship.

"Fox! Can you hear me?!" sounded a voice coming from Fox wrist.

"I can hear you Slip. What's up?" replied Fox into his wrist.

"General Pepper has a new assignment and wants to have a team meeting to get us started. He's requested an audience with you as soon as possible". Continued the little toad from the small screen on Fox's wrist comm.

"Krystal and I are on our way back to the ship now. Thank's Slip, we'll see ya soon!" replied Fox standing up from his seat.

"It was good getting to meet ya my friend, but we must take our leave"

"The pleasure was all mine!" Rick said standing and shacking Fox's hand once more.

"We'll keep in touch" smiled Krystal as she and Fox began to walk away from him.

Krystal stopped and turned around and looked at Rick.

"Good luck!" she yelled with a smile then ran after Fox.

Rick looked at the table and saw Krystal's comm device. When he looked up, they were already gone. He stood up and held the back of his neck. "Time to move on, once more" thought Rick.

He grabbed the small device and put it on. "I'll give it back, if I ever see them again" he thought.

He walked through the city until he reached the city docks. The evening sun lit the rippling waves. The air smelled of cool ocean water.

He was still satisfied with what he had eaten; feeling tired he sat on a bench facing the clear blue waters.

Night fell quickly as the sky darkened and turned into brilliant orange and red hues. The temperature of the city started to drop. The streets started to illuminate with neon signs and laser hologram projection.

Rick watched the last of the sun fade away into darkness behind the horizon behind the crashing waves. He stood up and stretched. He turned his back to the water and headed towards the inner city. "I really need a place to rest" he thought.

He went into a hotel and looked at the prices where a sign read, "50 Talians per night." But he had no money. He stepped out in front of the lobby, and then looked at the tall metal building.

Rick thought about just hopping over to the second floor and opening a room, but he couldn't bring it to himself to break into the hotel.

Glancing back at the hotel, then began walking towards the city's park, which he had passed earlier. The park faced the open night sky. The stars were visible here, not like in the rest of the city, were the stars drowned in the light.

The park was quiet, a slight cool breeze, just the chirping of crickets and the sound of the water from the pond. He laid on the cold park bench, and got comfortable and slowly fell asleep, reminiscing on today's turn of events. "Good night, Rick"


	9. Chapter 9

The single lamp that lit the park was a few feet from where Rick lay, tired and restless. The night had begun to turn into a cold and wet one. The clouds rumbled as the rain steadily fell on the parched grass and flowers.

"Fucking rain" he cursed sitting straight up in the bench. He was already soaked in the rain so he didn't care and simply leaned back on the bench adjusting his jacket covering his ears.

"It rained when I left Qritarious, also when..." he stopped, a small flash of memory pass before his eyes. "Who was I?" he finally manages to ask himself, only to be answered by the thunder rumbling in the dark sky.

His fur was matted and wet, rain drops rolled off his fur as he looked at the small lamp that neared him. He tried to remember the woman in his memory, but couldn't. It was all blank. He couldn't see her face, only her dark outline.

"Who is she?" he wondered. The rain gradually changed its calm downpour into hail. A few pieces of ice hit him in the head as he sat in the bench, looking at the black night sky. "Dammit" he cried as he put his jacket on his head as he left the city park.

His shirt and pants were all drenched. The cold was beginning to bother him. Him being a wolf, helped somewhat. As he neared the city, he saw it still had life.

Although the rain still fell lightly and the heavy hail seized to small pebbles.

People where still busy and moving around, even in the lateness of the night. Some closed for the night, others heading home and to their family.

He passed and old woman who gave him a small smile and waved hello. Rick returned the kindness and continued his walk. As he walked past an alley, he saw a group of several men follow a young woman.

They followed the woman into a dark alley as the rain from the buildings poured over the edges onto the street below.

The woman had not noticed the men as for the rain covered their footsteps behind her. Rick sprinted to the alley, and began to walk behind the group. Suddenly the group began to run at the woman, who now had seen them and began to run terrified.

After a few seconds of running, the group then cornered the woman, who he could see was a young golden brown wolf.

"Hey lady, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" said a small male in the group.

"Leave me alone!" she cried, obviously scared.

Rick crouched behind a large green dumpster and waited for the chance to act.

The rain now steadied to a gentle shower.

"Ooh she's a feisty one!" a voice commented. Rick silently watched, and waited. "Let's show this pretty thing a good time" said the small man once more.

Two guys grabbed her hands and began to undress the wolven female. The woman struggled to try and free herself, but was over powered by the two men.

"Let me go you!" she yelled desperately. "Is that any way of talking to your new lover now?" said the man smiling.

Rick reached for his holstered gun, and then remembered his lack of ammo. "Crap" he said, looking around where he hid and found a broken wooden pallet and grabbed a wooden beam from it. It was unusually light for its size he noted.

The men than pulled off the squirming wolf's exposed bra, revealing her chest. The rain ran off her exposed shirtless body. Then the small man moved for her exposed breasts.

"Let the fun begin" he said getting closer to the now drenched wolf.

"Get away from her!" yelled Rick at the group standing from his hiding stop. All the men stopped and looked at Rick. A tall bulky bull walked up to Rick from the crowd cracking his knuckles.

The wolf tried to cover her exposed chest, but couldn't. Her eyes were red from crying, which for some strange reason angered Rick.

"Get lost! This isn't any of your concern!" yelled the bull at Rick. Rick cocked his head to the side like as if not to understand the command.

Rick then suddenly swung the beam at the bulls head, hitting him square on the temple. "Get away from her. Last time I say it" said Rick furious.

"Show him not to interfere with us" said the short man with an angry look as he eyed his fallen comrade.

All of the men suddenly began yelling as they ran to him. The woman looked up and saw the men surround Rick.

She pulled her wet black hair out of her face; she looked at Rick and then ran away covering her chest with her hands.

Rick then began to mow down the assailants. Each hit landing with bone crushing force. The fight lasted only for a few minutes. The rain dancing off his jacket as each hit landed.

Only the small man remained, who crawled up to him on his knees as Rick approached him. "Please don't hurt me!" said the man.

Rick stared at the man, trying to hold his anger and not end his insolent life him. He was about to let him go, when a fallen thug rose up and pulled a gun behind Rick.

"Look out!" yelled a voice in the darkness. Rick swung blindly at his opponent. But not fast enough, he hit the thug too late. The bullet entered his arm as a loud ringing filled his ears. Rick then swung again and hit the thug in the head before he could fire again.

Rick then dropped the beam and fell to his knees from the intense pain of the metal ball. The shot pierced his arm and entered his side.

He could feel the hot metal ball on his left-side ribs. He reached into his side and pulled the glowing hot ball out, yelling in agony as he did so.

The short man then walked up to Rick, gun drawn. Rick clutched his side to try to stop the profuse bleeding.

"Time to die" motioned the man. He then kicked Rick on the side of the head, dazing him. Rick held his arm as he tried to stand up, only to be followed by a swift kick to the stomach.

The man then laughed as Rick gasped for air. "Die" he said finally. As he pushed the trigger, Rick looked at the evil expression of the man.

A shot when off, echoing in the dimly lit alley. The man took a knee and looked at Rick. His twisted smile faded as he then fell forward on the puddles of dirty rainwater.

Rick looked up from the dead body. He found himself looking at the young wolf. She was holding a gun, which was lying on the ground from the first attack.

She knelt down and helped Rick to his feet. He began to fell light-headed and dizzy. "Rick come with me" she spoke softly into his ear.

"H-how.." he tried to say. "Don't talk, save your strength, and come with me." she instructed him.

Rick's vision began to become blurred. He began to lose his sense of direction and got lost in the maze of alley ways. He noticed that the wolf's chest was still exposed.

Rick then stopped. "We're almost there, just a bit farther" she said to him. "Here" he said taking off his jacket and giving it to her.

She put it on and fastened the buckles, closing it up, covering up her exposed chest, and then helped Rick by putting his arm around her again. Rick gave a few more steps before collapsing and falling unconscious under the steady beat of the falling rain.


	10. Chapter 10

Coming Home

Burning and aching pains stirred Rick from his deep sleep, he rose to find himself wrapped in a blanket with no shirt on. He looked around and focused his vision. "Where the hell am I?" he wondered.

His fur was clean; his arm was wrapped in gauze with a pressure pin on it. He stood up on the bed where he laid. His side burned something horrible.

He pulled the blanket off his chest and examined the strange blue plastic on his chest. "What the hell?" he said. He pulled off the blanket entirely and then stood up slowly. He looked at the windows and saw the soft white light enter. "Gah! It's so bright." he thought shielding his face with his arm.

He then walked towards the large round window. The room was large and decorated with pictures.

There was a picture on a frame that caught his attention. He walked over to the picture and examined it. He stared in amazement as the picture revealed the wolf he had helped hugging someone, him.

The wolf in the picture hugged Rick as they sat on a bench facing the city's dock. He saw himself in the picture, smiling and giving the wolf a kiss on her cheek.

"That's me... Who was I?" he asked himself. He them looked around the entire room.

"This is...my room. When I knew her...but when did I know her? Why am I here?" he thought confused.

He began to have a headache. "Why can't I remember anything!" he yelled. The door to the room then opened, in walked a strange shaggy brown dog in a lab uniform that bore the Militaria Emblem shield on his shoulder and chest.

"Rick sit, you can't be moving" he said. "Where am I?!" he asked backing away raising his arm as to defend himself.

"Your home." he answered. "I've never been here..." he said to the man as he backed into a corner.

"How do you know me?" asked Rick. "I'm a friend of Cassandra, she called me here to help you" he answered.

"That name, it sounds familiar.." he thought. "But why?"

"Who is Cassandra?" he asked confused. "She's the woman you fell in love with" he said smiling. "No" he said holding his head. "Why don't I remember anything?"

"Don't believe me? Here take a look" he said holding out a small envelope to him.

Rick took it and eyed the man suspiciously "what's this?" he asked. "Read it." He replied walking away.

Rick opened the envelope and read the letter:

I love you my heaven. I will never leave you alone. I cannot explain my love to you through words but through my actions. It pains me to see you far away from me. You and I will always be together. If we ever part, you and I will never lose our love for each other. Goodnight my love. I'll see you again soon.  
Yours truly  
-Rick Daygger

As Rick finished, he noticed he had a tear running down his cheek. He couldn't understand why.

He felt overwhelmed by everything that was happening to him.

"Take your time Rick. You've been gone for 15 years. There's much to remember." he said turning around to leave.

"I need to leave." Rick said wiping the tear from his eye. "You can't, too much movement and you'll risk hurting yourself," he said concerned.

"Please lie down, wait till you can move safely" he urged him.

Rick ignored the man and walked towards a small table near the bed that had his pair of boots.

The man began to raise his voice, "please sit down!" Rick ignored him. Within a matter of minutes he was ready. The man stood blocking the doorway. "Move or you will regret it." said Rick. The man nervously shuffled out of the way.

Rick still had thoughts flooding his head. All he wanted was to get away and get air. He wanted away from there. The more he denied it, the more unreal it all seemed to him.

He walked down a small hallway which split into two directions. He didn't know where to go, so he chose to go left. He held his arm to the wall as he walked down the hall as he held his head, attempting to ease the pain.

He found his way to the stairs and out of the building and to the street. As he closed the black metal gates that blocked the street behind him, he saw the wolf from the previous night run towards him from down the tree lined sidewalk. Her long black hair flew behind her as she ran right towards Rick.

"Rick! Where are you going? You can't leave again!" she cried out.

"Again?" he thought confused. She then caught up to him and put her arms around Rick. He simply held his arms at his sides. She then began to cry, "You promised you would never leave me." she said through tears.

He just stood there, feeling confused by a slush of emotions he felt at once. "I'm sorry, but look; I don't know you." he finally said. Then the girl looked at him, tears in her eyes. "How can you have forgotten me? After all that you and I meant for each other?" she said crying even more.

Rick then backed into the dark corridor away from the eyes of the people in the street for privacy.

"Please don't cry, I didn't want to hurt you, I'm sorry" he said. "Why can you remember me?" she cried. He sighed then took a deep breath, "I barely know my own name," he said to her.

"Who did this to you?" she then said. "Huh?" he responded. "What do you mean who?"

"it doesn't matter Rick, I love you, you're my life, and I thought I'd lost you forever" she said looking at his eyes.

She then pulled Rick to her and gave him a kiss on the lips. Rick was surprised and wide-eyed and yet it felt right, it lasted for a few seconds, the unexpected kiss was then broken by her.

"That's how I gave you our first kiss." she said holding him even tighter.

Rick then felt his world fall apart around him. His mental stability then gave way as he collapsed to the ground.

"Rick!" said Cassandra trying to catch Rick with all her strength.

She was slightly smaller than Rick and wasn't able to hold him, so Rick collapsed on her. She wouldn't care less. The love of her life returned whether he knew it or not, she embraced him and held him as if was the last day of her life.

She rested his head on her chest while she hugged him as best she could. "It's okay Rick, you're found your way home".


	11. Chapter 11

Z.A.Y.R. Project

Cassandra and the brown shaggy dog stood over Rick as he lay asleep on the bed.

"Why can he remember anything?" asked Cassandra. "Well for starters, it could be a multiple of things. But, I believe because of the procedure performed on him years ago. But I can't assure you of that." he answered scratching the back of his fuzzy head.

"Procedure?" asked Cassandra.

"I'll get to that"

"He could have only temporary memory loss, but it's hard to say." he answered. "Do you think bringing him here was a good idea?" she asked.

"Well I don't know, it could jog his memory or cause it to collapse entirely. He'll have bits of his past, but it'll be like a dream to him. A clean slate, so to say" he said looking at Rick.

"What happened to Rick all those years ago? Before he disappeared" Cassandra said, stroking Rick's hair.

"Rick was in a worst state mentally than the rest of his squad. He had to be "removed" from normal practices when he was released from a sabotaged operation where he was taken hostage. He was believed to be brainwashed, speaking about strange machines, symbols and lights constantly. Nothing he spoke was coherent. This could explain why the terrorist organization left him for dead in the middle of a busy street with a bullet wound to his chest." He continued as he walked pacing the room.

"the rest of his squad was either dead or dying from starvation or a bullet wound to the chest. Many of them died. His body was slowly shutting down, his body had lost the will to live on its own accord"

"How many lived?" asked Cassandra.

"Out of 9, 4 made it home. The rest perished. The nature of the mission was never known to anyone. Only a few knew. During his time in the medical labs, a new method was to be practiced on him. It had a very low success rate but a high fatality rate"

Cassandra was taken aback from the information she never knew existed.

"His body was failing, his mental state was deteriorated, nothing seemed to work, he was a perfect test subject for the Z.A.Y.R. Project." he said looking at the floor.

"Z.A.Y.R was illegal, how? I don't understand. Anyone under that research branch was discharged from the military" responded Cassandra. "I know Rick served in the Cornerian Army, but as a soldier. Nothing like this ever crossed my mind, what was he?" Cassandra said taking a new look on Rick.

"Rick had been through years of military training and top secret operations, he was a member of an elite task force that never existed. When he was captured, he was mentally broken. He was a valuable fountain of knowledge. By the time we recovered him. Nothing seemed real to him." he said as he paced around the room.

"To this day, we don't know what information they tortured from him.

"But, Z.A.Y.R, that was a doomed and tragic accident. It was a catastrophe, killed so many people..." said Cassandra. "Who enlisted him under that?"

"it pains me to say, but his father" he said looking at her. "His own father?" she said confused.

"Do you remember the explosion in the Cornerian Research Labs a few years back?" he asked.

"Yes, that's what killed his mother" answered Cassandra.

"It wasn't an explosion in the military base that killed over half the staff for a different research project, it was Rick. The explosion was a mere cover up for disaster his father had created."

Cassandra looked at the old man in confusion as he explained. "This doesn't make sense to me? There's so many things that just don't add up"

"General Kaj Zira, Rick's father, wanted the best weapon against any enemy, the common soldier. Kaj's idea was rejected from the board. So he and others worked on a so highly sought mobile healing unit, which was to cover up the Z.A.Y.R. Project." he said looking ashamed.

"Kaj's ambition was so great, that he used his own flesh and blood to test it. Rick had no idea he would be the test subject." he continued.

"Since Rick wasn't mentally stable, Kaj thought it could fix up his son and be able to successfully use Z.A.Y.R. Two birds with one stone, so to speak. Rick had unknowingly become patient Zero for the Z.A.Y.R. Project"

"I don't understand, what is Z.A.Y.R?" she asked.

"Zero Aid Yield Recovery, or Z.A.Y.R is an enhancement to the body that could increase the victory rate of the military tenfold; a genetic enhancement that meddled in the affairs of life and death. Militaria High Command knew it was a bad idea, so it was banned through the board unanimously. That's where Kaj took it into his hands." he said.

Cassandra listened to every word and was shocked at the fact that Rick's own father, Kaj could do such a thing to his son.

"Another thing I don't understand is how you know all of this?" she asked him.

"I, was the head of the Z.A.Y.R procedure to be completed on him" he said turning away from Cassandra. "You?! How could you?!" she then said yelling at him.

"I know! I've lived with the burden of guilt all of these years!" he said pulling a chair to sit. Cassandra looked at Rick; she was full of anger now.

"You were a part of his family, and you betrayed all that? The one you need to ask forgiveness is from Rick, not me."

"please let me tell you the rest of Rick's past, after the Z.A.Y.R. was started, he reacted badly to it. He tried to escape the restraining straps, he yelled in pain. Then suddenly, he seemed lifeless." he said as he looked at Rick.

"So we stopped, then the second part of the process began. It consisted of multiple body enhancements, budget was no problem. Kaj wanted a 100% functional prototype."

"Several open surgeries where done to him, all without anesthetic. The anesthetic would interfere with the neurological procedures, which could be a reason he doesn't remember anything. He was believed to be in a coma like state, suspended animation" he explained to her.

It took hours, but painstakingly, it was completed. He was finished and taken to a reanimation chamber, the "healing chamber".

"So they did create a healing chamber?" asked Cassandra.

"Yes, but it wasn't intended to heal just anybody. It was only meant for Rick. He has a life support that is unique; he could be revived if he were to be killed. But if his internal life support is destroyed, so are his chances of survival."

"why? I don't see the benefits?" she asked him.

"He would be made into a prototype to try and change the minds of the Cornerian High Command board" he responded.

"After we transferred him, the chamber was filled with a chemical gas to activate his breathing and life support" the old dog said taking a drink of water.

"After the gas entered his blood stream, the chamber was electrified to re-fire the normal operations of the heart and brain, alongside his life support" he stood up and continued to pace around the room once more. 

"Within a few minutes, the process what completed. It seemed we had failed. He continued lifeless. After a talk with Kaj, the project was terminated. We were ordered to remove his body and have it buried. The military base would handle any public information regarding the death of Rick." he was cut off by a question from Cassandra.

"But then why is he alive?"

"well this is where it's hard to say. After he was released from the restraints, he suddenly sprang to life; he was extremely aggressive and violent. Killing at least 3 staff members" said the old dog as he rubbed his eyes.

"He was a well-trained soldier and that aided him on his energized psychotic rampage. Rick's body had mutated in a strange way. Massive energy surges radiated from him, we believe from the electrical pulse used to jumpstart his heart. Destroying over half of the lab and killing numerous staff, he was tranquilized and then relocated to max security station in space, where he escaped, we failed to retrieve him. How he managed to find you is beyond me. You were told of his death on the field after he was taken to the Z.A.Y.R. Labs."

"Your life with him was slowly erased to prevent Rick from being traced back to Kaj and the Z.A.Y.R. Team. He might not ever recover his memory. But it seems he's back to how he was before his mental deterioration. Maybe you could try to help him understand who he is."

"How can someone like him be simply erased? How is that possible?" asked Cassandra.

"Kaj pulled many strings in high places. Fear ran high after the catastrophic mess. Everyone was more than willing to forget, especially Kaj" he continued.

"But now listen, I've been here for far too long, I must leave. No one must know I was here. Understand?" he then said standing up and grabbed his coat. 

"Rick will never be the same again, but there is a small chance he will remember someday" said the old man as he walked out the door consumed by the darkness.

Cassandra then rested her head on Rick's shoulder. "Rick, you must remember," she whispered softly.


End file.
